‘Pagpupugay’ ushers in Feast of Black Nazarene THOUSANDS of devotees attended Holy Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila early Saturday ahead of today’s “Walk of Faith” as part of this year’s Feast of the Black Nazarene celebration—back after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the Mass, the “Pagpupugay” for the Black Nazarene officially started. Unlike in pre-pandemic years where the “pahalik” or kissing of
the image is allowed, this time devotees can only wipe their towels and touch the feet of the Black Nazarene during the CONTINUED ON 3A
Vol. 36 No. 326
January 8, 2023
NO KISSING ALLOWED.
2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES
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IN MET R MANILAO
A believer touches the Black Nazarene at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park during the start of the ‘Pagpupugay’ on Saturday, January 7, 2023. Devotees are not allowed to kiss the image or the traditional ‘Pahalik’ amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Danny Pata
AFP, PNP: No destabilization Military: Everything normal; Police: Heightened alert for ‘Walk of Faith’ n By JOYCE PAÑARES
First Lady: Don’t use my name to seek gov’t post
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OTH the military and the police denied destabilization rumors yesterday following the change in command in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Friday and the Philippine National Police going on heightened alert status Saturday.
FIRST Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Saturday warned against people who were using her name to push their appointment to government positions. In particular, Mrs. Marcos said she had no hand with the appointment of officials in the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). “I don’t know the people involved. I have nothing to do with the appointments, I leave that up to my husband,” Mrs. Marcos said in a video message released by Presidential Security Group Commander Col. Demy Zagala. “I am sick and tired of people using my name.” “And if I find out that somebody is using my name, I shall tell my husband not to appoint you, okay?” the First Lady added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier designated Brig. Gen. Marceliano Teofilo as ISAFP chief in July. Teofilo was reportedly replaced in November last year. No new appointment as ISAFP head has been announced.
The PNP said the heightened alert was part of security protocols for today’s “Walk of Faith” for the Feast of the Black Nazarene. “We haven’t received any info relating to a destabilization plot,” said PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo in a press conference. AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar also denied the rumored destabilization plot. “Negative. Everything is normal [at Camp Aguinaldo],” Aguilar said. Aguilar said the military respects the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to replace Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro as AFP chief of staff and appoint instead Gen. Andres Centino to his old post. “As a professional organization, the AFP supports the decision of the Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Remulla son’s ‘swift’ acquittal hit, Justice chief not bothered
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Sandiganbayan junks forfeiture cases vs. former AFP comptroller NEWS | 2A
FRESH 3-YEAR TERM. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administers the oath of office of Gen. Andres Centino as the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Centino previously held the same post from Nov. 2021 to August 2022.
Gov’t to import 22,000-MT of onions to stabilize prices THE Department of Agriculture on Saturday said it will now have to resort to importing at least 22,000 metric tons of onions to end the surge in prices, fetching for as high as more than P600 per kilo in some public markets.
Based DA’s recommendation, 25 percent of the imported onions would be brought to Mindanao, 25 percent to Visayas, and 50 percent to Luzon. Of the 50 percent allocated for Luzon, 10 percent will be white onions.
“We will put a stop to this through importation... That may not sound good, but we have to do this,” DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said in a radio interview. CONTINUED ON 3A
FORMER Supreme Court spokesman Ted Te and Liberal Party president Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman have hit the “swift” acquittal of the son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on charges of illegal drug possession. “A Las Piñas trial court has acquitted an accused of drug charges in what is, by our standards, record time,” Te said in a twitter post. This as the 39-year-old Juanito Jose Remulla III, who was arrested in October last year after receiving a parcel containing 893.91 grams of high-grade marijuana valued at P1.25 million, walked free on Friday. “Perhaps the Muntinlupa trial court can consider doing the same for the falsely accused Leila de Lima sooner rather than later,” Te added. Lagman also referenced the case of De Lima, who has been in prison since 2017 over alleged links to the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prisons, in reacting to Remulla’s acquittal. “It is grossly unfortunate that the exoneration of a Remulla scion was swift but the liberation of former Sen. Leila de Lima is stranded in the dark tunnel of injustice,” Lagman said. CONTINUED ON 3A